ceraphimfalls's Reviews (319)

Let's address the elephant in the room first: I avoided reading "The Lost Melody" for a few months because I had read a review that said it best classified as "Christian Fiction". I don't have anything against Christian Fiction, per se, but I find that if God and religion aren't obnoxiously in the forefront of the story, to the point of removing agency from the characters, then it isn't usually listed as Christian Fiction. I was raised Christian but would now classify myself as agnostic, so I am both desensitized and overly sensitive to "Jesus take the wheel" happening in books. That said, was the focus on La Mano de Dios a bit much? Considering the setting, the time period, and the fact that our character was dealing with issues that many reasonably turn to a higher power to deal with (ie Alcoholics Anonymous), it certainly toed the line with an abundance of bible verses, but it was well within the understandable range for the story.

All of that aside, "The Lost Melody" is a fantastically atmospheric and well-moulded world with a bevy of characters to flesh it out. The gothic tones resound fully, making the story have proper weight. Our main character is lovable enough- she is the "light in the darkness", which got old when we were reminded of that for the tenth time in two chapters near the end of the book. But she is compassionate and kind and willing to learn and change. The mystery and the gaslighting are handled well and I was intrigued to the very end when, unfortunately, the unraveling of it all felt rushed. Finally, as someone who has worked in the mental health and music therapy fields, I was very happy with how the author handled various characterizations and the treatments discussed. It was an enjoyable readå for sure and I'd be happy to recommend it to fans of gothic fiction. Just be prepared for a rushed and a (not unwelcome) surprise ending. 

The comfort found in these words, the ease with which Hades and Persephone have an immediate report is so much easier to fall into than most everything else I've ever read.

Really, a perfect introduction to beautifully deep and nuanced characters. Sure, there are hundreds of years of weighty lore behind the Greek gods, but this is solidly its own deal.